Tree injection device



Oct. 25, 1966 LAlNG 3,280,504

TREE INJECTION DEVICE Filed May 25, 1962 COATING OF WATER SOLUBLEAFFIXATIVE MIXED WITH VARIOUS METALLIC TRACE ELEMENTS INVENTOR. 20322:-.L. 1.41m;

BVMMZLYQ .JTTOENEV United States Patent 0 3,280,504 TREE INJECTIONDEVICE Robert Louis Laing, Fort Worth, Tex. (3527 Aquila Ave. S.,Minneapolis, Minn. 55426) Filed May 25, 1962, Ser. No. 197,610 Theportion of the term of the patent subsequent to January 22, 1980, hasbeen disclaimed 11 Claims. (Cl. 47-575) This application is acontinuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 672,488, filed July17, 1957, now abandoned, my application Serial No. 807,275, filed April20, 1959, now Patent 3,074,207, granted January 22, 1963, and myapplication Serial No. 51,506, filed August 24, 1960, now Patent3,137,968, granted June 23, 1964.

This invention relates to a composition and method for treating trees.More particularly this invention relates to a chemical mixture of traceelement salts and plant treating compounds which are combined in a solidimplanting device for injection directly into the living plant tissue.

At the time of filing the application 807,275 little was known about theresponse of trees in various localities to salts of trace elements otherthan sulfates. Sulfates of the trace minerals were used at that time outof several considerations. Some of the reasons include the favorablewater solubility of sulfates, the therapeutic value, and the low cost.

Since that time several other salts have been tested in variouslocalities and it has been found that trees in nitrogen deficient soilsin general respond better to nitrate salts of the trace elements; treesin phosphorous deficient soils respond better to phosphates of traceelements; and trees in nitrogen and phosphorous deficient soils respondbetter to metallic salts of amrnoniated phosphates. Trees in alkalinesoils in general respond better to acetates, propionates and butyratesof the metals and trees in acid soils respond better generally tohydroxides of the metals. In humid areas and other localities tartaricacid or metallic tartrates seem, in addition to the benefit of traceelements, to have a therapeutic effect against potential growths such asfungi. Thus, in some experiments, mistletoe dried up and fell off treesthree weeks after application.

Since some of the above named chemicals are relatively insoluble inwater (or sap), it is desirable to add a chelating agent such asethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to keep the trace elements nonionizedand water soluble for quick absorption into the plant serum.

Also at the time of filing the application 807,275 it was felt that toomuch of certain of the trace elements might overstimulate and kill thetrees, especially if administered unjudiciously by the buying public.Therefore only small amounts were placed on each nail. Since that time,the assumption was proven untrue. Experiments were made driving as manyas twenty coated nails into one tree, coated heavily with only one traceelement, and no trees died as a result. The quantity of trace elementswere then increased on each nail and the results were more favorable anddistinct.

Objects of the present invention are to provide chemical compositions tobe sold at various locations in the United States that would produceoptimum characteristics at each locality; to increase the amount oftrace elements applied for more noticeable results; to provide chelatesfor more rapid absorption; and to add tartaric acid for a generaltherapeutic effect.

Other and further features and objects of the present invention will bemore apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of thefollowing description, wherein various forms of chemical compositionsfor carrying out the invention are disclosed, and of the accompanyingdrawing in which FIGURE 1 is an elevational view, partially broken awayand in section, of a tree treating device fabricated in accordance withthe present invention;

and FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of a trunk of a tree, partly insection, having the apparatus of the present invention driven therein.

The general formula for preparing a water soluble implanting device forimplanting trace minerals directly into plant tissue is one gallon ofwater soluble glue or affixative, into which is mixed dry saltsconsisting of one pint ocean salt, one pint boron salt, one and one-halfpints magnesium salt, one-half pint copper salt, one-fourth pintmolybdenum salt, one-half pint manganese salt, one and one-half pintszinc salt, one and one-half pints iron salts, one-sixteenth pintpowdered cobalt or its salt, one pint tartaric acid, and one-half pintethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or other chelating agent.

Although the preferred amounts of these chemicals are given above, itshould be noted that these amounts can be varied somewhat withoutdeviating from the intent of this invention.

The above mixture then is formed into solid implanting devices bycoating the shanks of common carpenters nails, such as ring-shankedshingle nails, or other implanting devices such as staples or wedges, orby forming into pellets, nails, or bullets. In addition to these novelmethods of injection, old methods could be used, such as injecting theabove salts mixed with water or other liquid using a syringe or tube.

Referring to the drawing, a planting device 10 is shown in the form of aconventional carpenters nail or the like having a head portion 12 and acylindrical shank portion 14. The nail 10 is adapted to be driven intothe body of a tree 16, such as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the shankportion of the nail being sufiiciently long to extend through the barkportion 18 and through the cambium layer portion into the sapwood 20.The sap is, of course, normally transferred along the tree structure atthe interface between the bark area or layer 18 and the woody area 20.The coating described above is designated in FIGURE 1 by the referencenumeral 22. This coating is referred to by the legend Coating of WaterSoluble Affixative Mixed With Various Metallic Trace Elements. Thecoating 22, it will be noted from a comparison of FIGURES 1 and 2, islocated so that at least a portion of it is adapted to remain in the sapfiow zone.

The metallic salts Would be in the form of nitrates for use in nitrogendeficient areas, phosphates for use in phosphorous deficient areas,amrnoniated phosphates and superphosphates for nitrogen and phosphorousdeficient areas, acetates, sulfates, propionates, and butyrates foralkaline soils, and tartrates or sulfates for fungi infested areas.

Alternate modifications of the composition or means for accomplishingthe desired function would be to use borax or boric acid in place of theboron salts indicated, and sodium molybdate or molybdenum trioxide inplace of the molybdenum salts indicated above. The consideration inthese cases would merely be cost and relative solubility. The use ofchelates is not necessary with the sulfates, acetates, nitrates, ortartrates because of their high inherent solubility. Tartaric acid isnot necessary in combination with the tartrate salts of the metals. Somesalts can be omitted in certain localities.

Although only the preferred embodiment of devices for been describedabove, it is not to be construed that my invention is limited to suchembodiments. Other modifications may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention definedbelow.

As thus described the composition and method for treating trees of thepresent invention is characterized as an improved composite unit thatconsists in the use of more chemical fertilizer material than wasdescribed in the parent application and the substitution of nitrates,phosphates, ammoniated phosphates, acetates, propionates, 'butyrates,hydroxides, and tartrates of the metals of the parent application forthe purpose of producing more favorable results in each locality, andthe addition of a chelating agent to make the trace minerals moresoluble in the plant tissue.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A nail or solid implanting device embodying portions of a mixtureconsisting in the ratio of 1 gallon water soluble glue or affixative,into which is mixed dry salts consisting substantially of one pint oceansalt, one pint boron salt, one and one-half pints magnesium salt,onehalf pint copper salt, one-fourth pint molybdenum salt, one-half pintmanganese salt, one and one-half pints zinc salt, one and one-half pintsiron salts, one-sixteenth pint powdered cobalt, one pint tartaric acid,and one pint a chelating agent.

2. A nail or solid implanting device embodying portions of a mixtureconsisting in the ratio of 1 gallon water soluble glue or aflixative,into which is mixed dry salts consisting substantially of one pint oceansalt, one pint boron salt, one and one-half pints magnesium salt,onehalf pint copper salt, one-fourth pint molybdenum salt, one-half pintmanganese salt, one and one-half pint-s zinc salt, one and one-halfpints iron salts, one-sixteenth pintpowdered cobalt, and one pinttartaric acid.

3. A nail or solid implanting device embodying portions of a mixtureconsisting in the ratio of 1 gallon water soluble glue or affixative,into which is mixed dry salts consisting substantially of one pint oceansalt, one pint boron salt, one and one-half pints magnesium salt,onehalf pint copper salt, one-fourth pint molybdenum salt, one-half pintmanganese salt, one and one-half pints zinc salt, one and one-half pintsiron salts, one-sixteenth pint powdered cobalt, and one pint a chelatingagent.

4. A nail or solid implanting device embodying portions of a mixturecomprising ingredients in the ratio of 1 gallon water soluble glue oraffixative, into which is mixed dry compounds consisting substantiallyof one pint ocean salt, one pint boron compound, one and one-half pintsmagnesium compound, one-half pint copper compound,

one-fourth pint molybdenum compound, one-half pint 40 manganesecompound, one and one-half pints zinc compound, one and one-half pintsiron compound.

5. A nail or solid implanting device embodying portions of a mixtureconsisting in the ratio of 1 gallon water soluble glue or afl'lxative,into which is mixed dry salts consisting substantially of one pint oceansalt, one pint boron salt, one and one-half pints magnesium salt,onehalf pint copper salt, one-fourth pint molybdenum salt, one-half pintmanganese salt, one and one-half pints zinc salt, one and one-half pintsiron salts, one pint tartaric acid, and one pint a chelating agent.

6. The device of claim 1 in which the salts of magnesium, copper,molybdenum, manganese, zinc, and iron are further characterized as beingselected from the group consisting of nitrates, phosphates, ammoniatedphosphates, acetates, sulfates, propionates, butyrates, and tartrates.

7. The device of claim 4 in which the boron compound is selected fromthe group consisting of borax and boric acid.

8. The device of claim 4 in which the molybdenum compound is selectedfrom the group consisting of sodium molybdate and molybdenum trioxide.

9. The device of claim 4 in which the compounds of magnesium, copper,molybdenum, manganese, zinc, and iron are hydroxides of these metals.

10. A nail or solid implanting device embodying a mixture consisting ofwater soluble glue or affixative into which is mixed chemicalscomprising substantial and nontoxic portions of ocean salt, boroncompound, magnesium compound, copper compound, molybdenum compound,manganese compound, zinc compound, iron compound, and a chelating agent.

11. The device of claim 10 in which the mixture also includes tartaricacid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 75,560 3/1868McKenzie 4757.5 X 3,074,207 1/1963 Laing 4757.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 545,467 3/ 1956 Belgium. 786,083 11/1957 Great Britain.

ABRAHAM o. STONE, Primary Examiner.

T. GRAHAM CRAVER, Examiner.

L. I. BLACKMAR, R. E. BAGWILL,

Assistant Examiners.

2. A NAIL OR SOLID IMPLATING DEVICE EMBODYING PORTIONS OF A MIXTURECONSISTING IN THE RATIO OF 1 GALLON WATER SOLUBLE GLUE OF AFFIXATIVE,INTO WHICH IS MIXED DRY SALTS